


reciprocal

by peachsneakers



Series: soulmate september [6]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (Not by any of the sides), Abused Deceit | Janus Sanders, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Background Intrulogical - Freeform, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Moceit - Freeform, Roman's mentioned, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit | Janus Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:07:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26316928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: Patton's never been more happy to meet Virgil's new neighbor.
Relationships: Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: soulmate september [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906756
Comments: 27
Kudos: 251





	reciprocal

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: Day 6 - When your soulmate is injured you will experience pain in that area.

Patton's hand flutters up, cupping his cheek as pain flares through it in a bright, stinging burst.

"You know, I'm seriously starting to wonder about your soulmate," Remus says, eyeing him from his sprawled out position in Logan's lap. Patton stiffens, guilty hand drifting back to his lap.

"Why- why do you say that?" He asks. Remus tilts his head to one side.

"You're always getting smacked in the face," he says bluntly. Patton reddens, and it's not just the pain from the slap (what else could it have been?) causing it. Truthfully, he's been wondering himself. Is his soulmate...okay? His face hurting is nearly a daily occurrence, but he's surprised if he goes a day without feeling the pain of at least one bruise or another showing up somewhere on his body. It's usually his wrists or upper arm, pain viciously biting into the skin in finger-shaped divots, but sometimes it's his knees and a few memorable, heart-stopping times, it's been his _throat_ , as if someone's choked his soulmate so badly, it's bruised. He's secretly a little relieved that he only gets the _pain_ , not the end result, or his parents would have probably been investigated by now.

Have his soulmate's?

"I'm sure there's an explanation," he finally says out loud, uneasily. Logan gives him a considering glance, but doesn't say anything. Then again, he's had to deal with similar. Not that Remus was being hurt, but before he met his soulmate, he had been quite...careless with his own safety. Actually _meeting_ Logan has changed that, and Patton would say for the better. The two of them have been fast friends since elementary school, and he's watched Remus catapult out of trees, skateboard off railings, and parkour off the sides of buildings enough for his heart to feel permanently lodged in his throat.

"How's Roman?" He asks, changing the subject. Remus rolls his eyes.

" _Peachy_ ," he says, disgusted. "Still obsessed with finding his soulmate. Good luck. He almost _never_ feels anything. How do you find someone who never gets hurt?"

"Well, you seemed to manage just fine," Logan says, a soft smile playing about his lips. Remus cackles and plants a kiss on the tip of Logan's nose.

"Nah, _you_ found _me_ ," Remus points out.

"Can't argue there," Patton says cheerfully. A shout from up the street interrupts them and Patton's head jerks up to see Virgil, the last in their friend group (besides the absent Roman) trotting up the street. He's got someone Patton's never seen before with him, and Patton tries to ignore the twinge in his chest at the thought that this might be Virgil's soulmate. It's awful of him, but he kind of likes that he, Roman, and Virgil don't have their soulmates yet. It makes him feel less alone when Remus is off "sucking face," as he so eloquently puts it, with Logan.

"Hey, guys!" Virgil shouts, out of breath. He pulls up to them, still dragging the newcomer by his shirt. "This is Janus," Virgil introduces him. "He's my new neighbor."

"Charmed," Janus says dryly. When he turns his head, Patton's breath catches in his throat. One side of his face is bruised. Not just bruised, _layered_ with bruises, in varying stages of healing. Janus's mismatched eyes glare defiantly at them all, daring them to say something. Remus doesn't disappoint.

"Hey, J-Anus!" Remus says, his voice bright. Janus groans, bringing a gloved hand up to the good side of his face.

"Yes, my face is fucked up, no, I don't want to talk about it," Janus says. Patton surreptitiously pinches the back of his hand, driven by something he can't quite understand. Janus winces. Patton's eyes widen. He does it again, harder, and Janus actually jerks his hand back, like he's touched a hot stove.

"You okay, dude?" Virgil asks. Janus makes a face.

"My soulmate seems to have decided that pinching me is a good idea," Janus says. Patton looks down at his hand guiltily, seeing the reddened mark, already beginning to bruise. All right, so he did that a little hard. He didn't mean to actually-

Wait a minute.

Lifting his hand up so Janus can see it, Patton pinches himself again, hard, teeth digging into his bottom lip in concentration. Janus's eyes widen in shock.

"You-" Janus starts to say. Patton smiles slightly.

"Yes?" He asks. His heart feels like it's going to beat right out of his chest and keep going down the street, like one of Remus's unhinged science experiments.

"But-" Janus says, starting to laugh a little. It sounds perilously close to tears.

"Jan, what is it?" Virgil asks, not understanding yet. Remus's eyes light up in comprehension.

"Let's go," he says, jerking his head at Virgil. "Give them _spaaaace_."

"I feel like I should apologize to you," Janus murmurs. Patton hums lightly in confusion and Janus points to his face. "Can't be too pleasant, getting slapped all the time."

"I'm more concerned about _you_ ," Patton protests. "Are you- are you okay?"

"Now I am," Janus says. "My dad took me in. My mother's boyfriend sucks, and she's not much better, so." He shrugs. "She visited this morning, when she wasn't supposed to, and well-" He shrugs again. "Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Patton insists. "It's _fine_. I'm just- I'm glad you're okay now." He reaches out, daring, and rests one hand on Janus's glove. 

"I have psoriasis," Janus explains, noticing Patton's curious glance toward the gloves. "It's uh- it's embarrassing, so."

"Kiss already!" Remus hollers from down the block, and Patton flushes bright red.

"Ignore the peanut gallery," Patton says, glaring at his best friend, who's grinning from ear to ear.

"What if I don't want to ignore the peanut gallery?" Janus murmurs. Patton looks up, confused, to realize Janus is _right there._ He wordlessly asks for permission and Patton nods, inclining his head so their noses don't bump and jar Janus's bruised face. Their lips ghost across each other's, a light promise that makes Patton dizzy. He can hear Remus cheering in the background.

"Are they always like this?" Janus asks. He sounds amused. Patton grins shakily.

"I'm afraid so," he says. "Is- is that all right?"

"More than," Janus says, and smiles.


End file.
